Evaporator



April 13, 1937. A. Y. DOWELL EVAPORATOR Filed Aug. 18, 1933 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. is, 1%?

EVAPORATOR Alvis Yates Dowel], Hastings .on Hudson, N. Y.,

assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareApplication August 18,1933, Serial No. 685,690

11 Claims.

This invention relates to cooling elements or evaporators forrefrigeration apparatus.

In many refrigerators,- especially-those of the household type, a singlecooling element is provided for the dual purpose of cooling the air inthe refrigerator storage compartment and freezing water into ice cubes.The water or other substance to be frozen is usually contained in areceptacle adapted to be supported in thermal transfer relation with thecooling element or freezing temperature.

. from the air to the evaporator may be longer and of less thermalconductivity.

It is an object of this invention to provide an evaporator meeting theabove requirements which is efficient in operation, simple, inexpensive,and durable in construction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an evaporator that isvery accessible for insertion and removal of freezing receptacles andfor cleansing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingin which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an evaporator illustrating one-embodimentof the invention;

Fig. 2, a sectionv taken on line 2.2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section takenon line 33 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, an end view of the evaporator of Fig.1 shown mounted in the storage compartment of a refrigerator. 1

Referring to the drawing, the evaporator comprises essentially a' pipecoil, a header, and a.cast

metal body. The pipe coil is formed with a plurality of verticallyspaced groups of horizontal loops iii. The lower end ii of the pipecoilis' adapted to be connected to receive liquid refrigerant from asuitable refrigeration apparatus or supply, not shown. The upper end iiiof the coil is connected to a header or, disengaging vessel .83.

The latter is preferably cylindrical and is'formed by a tubular casingclosed at both ends. As well known in the art, liquid refrigerant,admitted at the'iower end H of the coil, evaporates andprocompartment l8and is therefore in the most adduces a refrigerating effect. The vaporis exhausted from the header l3 through a conduit or suction line Hadapted to be connected tothe low side of the refrigeration apparatus,not shown.

The body of the evaporator is formed as an in- 5 tegral metal casting.Aluminum is preferred on account of its high thermal conductivity. Thecasting is formed with a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal plateor shelf portions l5 embedding the respective groups of pipe loops I0.At one side of the shelves [0 a plurality of vertical ribs'or fins iiiare formed integrally therewith. The size and the number of these finsdepend of course upon the amount of air to be cooled and the desiredtemperature. The upper ends of the fins l6 form a cradle in which reststhe header 13. The connecting portionsl'l of the pipe coil between thehorizontal loops H] are preferably arranged so as to lie in the verticalfinned wall lfi'of. the evaporator. 20

The evaporator is preferably mounted in the storage compartment of arefrigerator in the position illustrated in Fig. 4. The Vertical finnedsection 16 is located at one side in the top of the vantageous positionfor adequately cooling the air. The warm air rises to the topcompartment l8 and circulation is induced'by the descent of air cooledby the evaporator. Since most of the air is cooled by the finned sectioniii, the downward flow of cool air takes place adjacent a side of thecompartment where there is the least likelihood of obstruction due toshelf loading. The plates or shelves I extend laterallyfrom the finsection. and form refrigerated supports for ice trays H9 or otherreceptacles for substances to be frozen.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various otherchanges may be made in the construction and arrangement withoutdeparting from the spirit of the'invention, and therefore the inventionis-notlimited to that which is described in the. specification and shownin the drawing, but only as indicated in the following claims: i

What is claimed is:

1. An evaporator comprising a pipe coil having ,a plurality ofvertically spaced groups of horizontal loops and a metal casting forminga plurality of vertically spaced horizontal shelves respectivelyembedding said groups of pipe coil loops and a, plurality of uprightfins integral with and interconnecting said shelves on only, one side,

thereof.

2. An evaporator comprising an integral metal 2 casting forming anupright structure of heat transfer fins and a, plurality of verticallyspaced shelves extending horizontally therefrom, a pipe coil having a,plurality of vertically spaced groups.

of horizontal loops embedded respectively in said shelves, and a headerconnected to the upper end of said pipe coil and supported on the upperedge of said upright structure.

. 3. An evaporator comprising an .integral metal casting forming anupright structure of parallel heat. transfer fins and a plurality ofvertically spaced shelves extending horizontally therefrom, a pipe coilhaving a plurality of vertically spaced groups of horizontal loopsembedded respectively in said shelves, and a tubular header connected tothe upper end of said coil, the upper edge of said upright structureforming a cradle in which said header is supported.

4. An evaporator comprising a shelf having a passage for refrigerantfluid, heat transfer fins forming an upright structure on one side ofsaid shelf, a header supported on the upper edge of and in the plane ofsaid upright structure, and a conduit connecting said passage to saidheader.

5. An evaporator comprising a shelf having a passage for circulation ofrefrigerant fluid and a plurality of fins forming an upright structureof the evaporator on one side ofsaid shelf, and supply and dischargeconduits for said passage disposed in the upright structure formed bysaid fins.

40 casting forming an upright structure of finned construction with oneor more shelves extending laterally therefrom and having passagesinterconnected for circulation of refrigerant fluid therethrouglr inseries, and a header at the top of 5 said upright structure connected toone end of said series passages, the interconnections for said passagesbeing disposed in said upright structure. I 8. An evaporator of castmetal construction comprising a single upright structure formed ofplates to provide extended heat transfer surface and a shelf at one sideand extending from said structure, said shelf containing a coil embeddedtherein.

9. An evaporator designed to cool a chamber v in which the same isadapted to be placed and also ond plate means.

10. An evaporator designed to cool a chamber in which the same isadapted to be placed and also designed to cool matter contained insaidchamber, said evaporator being formed of plate means forming extendedheat transfer surface,

said plate means being arranged in one position to support matten'placedin the chamber, and

other plate means arranged integrally withand' on one'side transverselyof the first plate means and leaving the remainder of the first platemeans unobstructed to provide increased heat transfer surface havingsuflicient area to adequately cool said chamber, the arrangement of saidfirst plate means providing substantially unobstructed passage for airacross and in contact with said sec- 0nd plate means, the parts beingassembled in a manner to permit access-to be had to the supporting meansfrom a position other than the front of the evaporator.

11. An evaporator formed as an integral metal casting having a, seriesof upright fin plates and one or more shelf plates extendingtransversely

